LAKEWOOD, Ohio – The historic Nicholson House, built in 1839, likely was the scene of many social functions, including tea parties, during its heyday. It’s the oldest surviving frame structure in the city and has been completely restored with Victorian-era wallpaper, window dressings and some furniture in the parlors.
Children at the Valentine Tea enjoyed examining this display of vintage toys. Carol Kovach, special to cleveland.com
Lakewood Historical Society hosted about a dozen youngsters and accompanying adults for the annual Valentine Tea on Feb. 11 at the stately house on Detroit Avenue, across from St. Edward High School. Attendees enjoyed “Stone House tea,” cookies, cheese, crackers and apples before participating in a variety of other activities that provided a glimpse into days gone by.
Siblings Cecilia, 8, Lucia, 4, and Mario 4, enjoyed refreshments with Renee, Cecilia’s American Girl doll.
“This is fun, Cecilia said. “I like the old toys,” she said, referring to the display of vintage toys in the front parlor. Cecilia said she also enjoyed the crafts, especially making valentines.
Her brother, Mario, said his favorite part was the tea, a special “Stone House tea,” created by historical society volunteers years ago for the Brownie teas that used to take place at the Oldest Stone House Museum at Lakewood Park.
Elisabeth Alleman, 9, daughter of Lisa Alleman of the historical society staff, said she’s been to all the Valentine Teas. She brought Celly and Chris, her American Girl Bitty Baby twin dolls.
Elisabeth Alleman, 6, of Lakewood, brought her dolls Celly, left, and Chris, to the tea. Carol Kovach, special to cleveland.com
For 6-year-old Madison Corbett, who also has attended all the teas, crafts in the parlor were one of her favorite activities. She attended with her mother and grandmother.
Lisa Alleman said historical society members wanted to bring back the popular teas and Nicholson House seemed like a good location, because of its larger size. She visits schools and organizations to present historical talks, sometimes based on the society’s “traveling trunks.” One of the trunks contains an assortment of vintage toys and was displayed at the tea. Children could see tops, dolls, books, blocks and other simple toys that youngsters would have enjoyed in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Alleman read the nursery rhyme “Jack be Nimble” to the children and allowed them to take turns jumping over battery-operated candles.
They also got to try looking through a stereoscope, a form of entertainment from the late 1800s that was a favorite of the wealthy. Alleman said the wooden stereoscope had two lenses, a handle and a small shelf to hold a picture with one frame for each lens.
This display shows the stereoscope, right, a predecessor of the View-Master, center, and virtual reality devices. Carol Kovach, special to cleveland.com
“The stereoscope would ‘trick’ you into believing that you saw a three-dimensional picture,” she said, and the pictures would help people experience faraway sights like the Grand Canyon or a waterfall. Sometimes surgeons would use them to help visualize an operation.
“A family could be entertained for hours by passing the stereoscope around,” she added.
As technology improved, the stereoscope morphed into the View-Master, which still exists, and more recently, virtual reality. Alleman said in the early 1900s, a material called Bakelite, a form of plastic, was developed. It made the View-Master more affordable. And rather than one static photo, a disc was developed that featured color photos and animated scenes.
View-Masters still exist and use essentially the same technology.
Greg Palumbo, executive director of the historical society, said the newest form of entertainment is virtual reality. Youngsters could check out videos and other scenes using Palumbo’s smartphone.
Cecilia, from left, Lucia and Mario, of Lakewood, enjoy refreshments at the Valentine Tea. Carol Kovach, special to cleveland.com
Attendees also could look at a display of vintage valentines dating back to the late 1800s.
Crafts included coloring pictures, making valentines and decorating paper bags to hold valentines.
Alleman said the tea will return next year.
Nicholson House, which was purchased in 1985 by the city and historical society, was saved from demolition. It is available to rent for events and is the location for some popular historical society fundraisers including Tabletops and Trifles and the Sale on the Grounds.
Visit lakewoodhistory.org for more information about the historical society and its events.
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